PLDT and Canada-based satellite operator Telesat have successfully conducted the Philippines' inaugural on-orbit testing of high-speed broadband connectivity via Telesat's Phase 1 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite. Also, this test is a first for Telesat with any operator in Southeast Asia (SEA).
PLDT's Technology Strategy and Transformation Office conducted the test from February 11 to 19, 2022. They used an 85-cm Intellian parabolic antenna stationed at the PLDT office in Greenhills, San Juan, to connect to the LEO satellite.
The test recorded a download speed of 100.46 Mbps and an upload speed of 96.72 Mbps, with a roundtrip latency of 26.53ms (ping).
According to PLDT, the successful LEO satellite broadband test "signals opportunities" for the company and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) to leverage innovations in the satellite industry "to expand their high-speed mobile and Internet services" to more remote areas.
PLDT-Smart head of technology Mario G. Tamayo shared that since last year, they planned to bring satellite-linked mobile broadband connectivity (cell site in the sky as the telco describes it) to "far-flung areas without broadband internet services."
PLDT-Smart head of technology strategy and transformation office Arvin L. Siena explained how low-earth orbit satellites work.
"Compared to geo-stationary satellites, which are located in space 35,000 kilometers away from the earth, Low-earth orbit satellites are significantly closer at around 500 to 2,000 kilometers above the earth's surface," said Siena.
With this, it allows "the delivery of higher bandwidth with lower latency, and deeper penetration to mountains, valleys, and remote islands," added Siena.
Siena also stated that this connectivity could be used "by enterprises that require high-speed data for high-definition video conferencing, remote desktop connections, and remote business operations."
Siena noted that "this particular test utilized Telesat's Phase 1 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite at an altitude of 500 kilometers." They were "really impressed by the results, which are comparable to the speed and latency provided by a regular cell site."
Source: Smart
